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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CLARK AND THE WABASH INDIAN COUNSEL

“Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD,” 2 Chronicles 20:17. KJV

In January, 1786, 1,500 Indian warriors met near present day Danville, Illinois to decide if they wanted to attack the American frontiersmen.⁷³ (⁷³James Alexander Thom, From Sea To Shining Sea, Ballantine Books, New York City, NY, 1984, pp. 363, 488.)

Finally, in October, George Rogers Clark was put in charge of an army of about 1,200 men and he sat out to confront the Indian warriors. On the third day out, being about one day’s march away from the Indian’s encampment, someone shouted, “Who’s for home?” In an instant, other voices joined in, “Who’s for home?” About 700 soldiers decided that they would go no further. This left Clark with only 500 men to fight the 1,500 Indian warriors. George tried but was unable to stop the mutiny. Brokenhearted, he rode away to be by himself. A little later, he was observed in the sycamore trees by the river.

Clark was down on his knees in prayer.⁷⁴ (⁷⁴James Alexander Thom, From Sea To Shining Sea, Ballantine Books, New York City, NY, 1984, pp. 491-495.) He prayed and thought about the situation. There seemed to be nothing to do but to turn around with his men and go back to the fort. As he rode along, it seems as though God started answering his prayer. Suddenly, he sat high in his saddle. “Look sharp troops!” he shouted. Back at the fort, George wrote a letter to the chiefs and warriors of the different Indian nations along the Wabash. In the letters, he stated that the frequent murders that your young men have committed on our women and children have made it necessary for us to consider war against you. We are now in your country and will not go away till this matter is settled. We were three days down the road toward you when we decided to give you another chance. We want you to know that we are compassionate people. I am, therefore, inviting you to come to Clarksville on November 12. I am hoping that we can agree on terms of peace. If we are forced into a war with you, be assured that no mercy will be shown to your people.

After ten days of silence, the miracle happened. Chiefs began coming down to Clarksville begging for peace. The peace was won just in time, for the food supply was running out and

The men needed to get back to Kentucky.⁷⁵ (⁷⁵James Alexander Thom, From Sea To Shining Sea, Ballantine Books, New York City, NY, 1984, pp. 496-502.)

Thus again we see the providence of God working on behalf of the American people. The vast region north of the Ohio River was taken from the British crown. When peace came, a few years later, the boundary lines of the United States became the Great Lakes on the north, the Mississippi River on the west, the Ohio River on the south and the Atlantic Ocean on the east.

Notice God’s Providence:

· God providentially protected George Washington in the Battle of Monongahela when all the other officers were killed.

· God providentially sent the praying man, George Washington, to lead the American army.

· God providentially sent a winter’s mist and storm on the armies in the fall of 1775 and made it possible for Washington’s army to retreat.

· God providentially sent Washington replacements who had practically grown up in small boats. These men were able to quietly row his army away from the British lines.

· God providentially caused the British to surrender Boston without either side losing a single man.

· God providentially sent a violent snow and hail storm on Trenton which allowed Washington’s men to take 1,000 prisoners in only 45 minutes with only three Americans getting wounded in the fight.

· When the men were starving at Valley Forge, God providentially sent tons of fish in an unusually early migration.

· God providentially sent Baron Von Steuben, a veteran Prussian soldier, to train the Americans on how to become a military force. After Valley Forge, the Americans never lost a battle.

· God providentially placed the American need in the hearts of the French people so that they sent a lot of money and troops to help Washington.

· God providentially caused the rivers to mysteriously flood three times in ten days to allow the American army to have safety when the British Commander, Cornwallis, was close behind.

· God providentially provided help from France at the very moment when Cornwallis’ reinforcements were about to arrive.

· When Cornwallis decided to retreat across the York River, God providentially changed the weather from moderate and calm to a violent storm of wind and rain. He drove all the boats, some of them with troops still in them, down the river which essentially marked the end of the war.

· God providentially guided George Rogers Clark and his men to victory after victory. He allowed him to gain control of all the land north of the Ohio, east of the Mississippi and south of the Great lakes with almost no blood shed on either side.

Study Guide

Chapter Thirteen

1. Is it possible that God will fight some of our battles for us and we won’t have to do anything but watch?

2. Why did 1,500 Indian warriors meet in Danville in January 1786?

3. How many men was Clark given to fight the 1,500 Indian warriors?

4. When Clark’s men were about one day’s journey away from the Indian encampment, what did nearly one half of his soldiers do?

5. What did Clark do after the mutiny?

6. When Clark got back to the fort, what did he do for the Indians?

7. What did Clark want the Indians to do?

8. What did Clark warn the Indians he would do if they didn’t cooperate?

9. What happened 10 days after Clark sent the letters to the Indians?

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